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Top 10 Reasons to Add Peat Moss, Coconut Coir,

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Perlite(also known as Pearlite) has become known as one of Nature's most beneficial, efficient, productive, and economically viable growth substrates for plants around the world. As described earlier in our article "Perlite! Pearlite! Rah! Rah! Rah!" Perlite is derived from volcanic rocks that puff up when heated similar to the way popcorn does when it is cooked. These puffed rocks have incredible surface area to volume ratios making them very useful in a horticultural context. The ore material for Perlite is present in many locations around the world in great abundance making it cheap.

Perlite has the intrinsic characteristic of having an excellent water to air holding capacity that allows for frequent watering while maintaining a predictable moisture content. This physical trait can even buffer out the effects of over-watering when proper drainage is applied.

Perlite by itself is not always the most suitable of substrates for all plants or circumstances, and that is where this article will help to shed some light into other types of amendments to add when necessary and why.

Top 10 Reason to Add...to Your Perlite:

Sphagnum Peat Moss-Another natural product which can help by increasing the Cation & Anion Exchange Capabilities (CEC & AEC) of the media which increases the nutrient adsorption holding capacity(1). Peat can also add lots of trace minerals & nutrients(2), along with humic acids(3). Vermiculite-Yet another very plentiful natural product that can increase the CEC & AEC as well as adding Potassium & Silicon. It can also increase the water-holding capacity of the media if so desired(4). Sand can be added to increase drainage(5) or to decrease air volumes in the media(6). Coir can be added to increase moisture-holding properties, as well as to acidify the substrate where applicable, as with Peat(7). Shredded or pulverized algae &/or seaweed can be put in to add many beneficial enzymes, catalysts, etc.(8). Organic Humus & compost can be thrown in for many of the above reasons, as well as to increase the rhizobial carbon level(9). All these amendments plus numerable others are also added to increase the heterogeneity (as opposed to uniform homogeneity) of the growth substrate(10).

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